Grim Vengeance
by Randompersonality
Summary: Continuation of the Grim series. Twenty years after Harry helped the X-Men defeat the Dark Phoenix, the Master of Death has received a phone call from a very old friend. Apparently, there is a demigod running around with a scepter that controls anyone it touches. Oh and Nick is putting together a team. This should go well...
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING! Credits go to JK Rowling, Marvel, and all affiliates.  
_

* * *

**-Somewhere over the Atlantic-**

"Nick! What was so bloody urgent that you had to break five years of radio silence to get my attention?" Harry asked as soon as he apparated into the room, only to find himself on the business end of several guns, a shield, a giant hammer, and two curious but wary stares from a man with a blue glow in his chest and a brunette with glasses who was looking a little green around the edges.

"You didn't tell me you had guests, Nickie," Harry said, eyeing the strangers with interest. "This is new. Needed to bring in some fresh playmates?"

"Shut-up and sit down with the others," Nick Fury growled with annoyance. "Everyone, this asshole is the Grim. Consultant on things magical and a pain in the ass."

"You know you missed me," Harry smirked. In all the years he's lived, he still got a kick at harassing Nick. Friends as they are, Nick still liked to pretend to be a BAMF while Harry was one. At least that's what Harry had teased Fury about last time they saw each other.

"So besides magical consultant what makes him so special?" The guy with the glowy chest asked with a smirk to rival Harry's.

"Grim?" Nick asked gesturing that Harry could take the floor if he wanted.

"First off, I am a liaison to certain allies both magical and mutant. Secondly, I don't stay dead. Master of Death and all that. Basically, I'm immortal. So much so, that in a millennia or two I'll outlive the Norse god over there." Harry gestured to a surprised Thor. "My duty is to prevent the End of Times. Hence why Nick and I know each other. It might surprise you but Nick actually likes humanity enough to want to save it."

"I have heard stories of the Master of Death but I thought they were but tales," Thor exclaimed.

"So you can't die? Ever?" the less- green- now brunette asked warily.

"They aren't tales, Thor," Harry said, glancing at the god before turning his gaze to the cautious one, "I might leave my body for a little bit but I always come back once it is healed. I hate waking up buried in a casket or beside a broken urn, it just gets annoying after all these years. So, if I'm around one of you when I go on a bit of a spiritual hiatus please make sure me being… funeralized, or whatever you want to call it, doesn't happen.

"Anyways, I can't die a true death where I don't come back and can go into the Afterlife and see my long dead family once again. Then again, Death and I were discussing what would happen if the universe ended. Death supposed that once the End happened there would no longer be a need for a Master of Death since there would no longer be Death. Hard to be Master of Death without Death existing. So then I would probably die. Either that or I float through space after you all finally destroy the planet in an endless loop of dying and resurrecting. I could also wander along the earth's empty surface and slowly go insane. That is also a distinct possibility." Harry shrugged nonchalantly at the horrified faces around him. He would never admit it but he got a slight kick out of making conversations awkward, especially without Logan around to loudly announce that Harry was a drama queen in a not- subtle-way- at- all or to tell him to 'stop angsting like an emo teenager. I deal with those everyday and don't need my friend ta be one.' He missed Logan. He will have to stop by the school when he got a chance.

"Anyways, Nick, who are the blokes you managed to wrangle this time?" Harry asked, glancing at each of the people around the table before sitting down at an empty chair.

Harry ignored the red haired woman's not- so- subtle glare. He had a feeling that there was a reason there was a single empty seat.

"Natasha Romanoff, the Black Widow," Nick said, gesturing to the angry red-head. Pointing at each in turn after that, "Tony Stark, the Iron Man. Dr. Bruce Banner, the Hulk. Thor, Norse god of Thunder, as you already figured out. Steve Rogers, Captain America."

"Where's Clint, your favorite archer?" Harry inquired, glancing around the room and frankly surprised and disappointed not to see Hawkeye ready to joke around with him.

"He's been compromised," Natasha stated matter-of-factly, crossing her arms over her chest.

Instantly, Harry went into war mode. "Compromised how? Nick, does this have to do with the explosion?"

"How did you hear about the explosion?" Nick asked, suspiciously. He wondered if there was a leak somewhere besides Tony who would not actually leak info to the public despite his public spectacle tendencies.

"Nick, I am the BLOODY MASTER OF DEATH! I felt the effects of that all the way in Japan. It nearly tore me away from the war I was fighting so I could witness it."

"War? What war? How would the explosion tear you away from a fight?" Tony asked. He was intensely curious about this Master of Death. _After all, he looked to be about 17 or 18 years old. What would he know about war? Then again, Thor was centuries old and looked to only be in his late 20s, early 30s. But Thor was an alien. That disqualifies him. Maybe Grim was an alien too_. Tony's thoughts were interrupted by Grim's answer.

"Part of the Master of Death gig. I am forced to witness every major war, battle, massacre, genocide, mass suicide, or any death that has a direct impact on the End of Times." Ignoring Tony's first question, Harry explained looking old and weary for a moment before his eyes blazed a bright green once again, eager for information. "Anyways, what's going on? I know Clint isn't dead because I would have been notified by Death that it was ferrying his soul into the afterlife."

Tony was a little thrown back by Grim's eyes. He could have sworn that they darkened and lost a bit of…light? At least, before Grim refocused onto the issue at hand. If he didn't know better, he would have thought Grim's soul was peeking out from behind those startling emerald eyes.

"His brother," Nick started, jabbing a finger towards Thor, "Loki, god of mischief and lies, has a new toy. A staff that can turn my best agents into his personal flying monkeys."

"I got that reference!" Rogers said a little proudly.

_The poor captain must be feeling completely out of his element_, Harry glanced at Steve. _I wonder if he even remembers that we've fought together before he went down in the ice._

Harry could almost feel how hard the Captain was trying to make sense of this strange world he woke up to.

Turning his attention back to Fury, "Sounds a bit like the Imperius Curse. Did he say anything? Any words? Did he ever break eye contact with the people he controlled?"

"No, he didn't say anything and it seemed the curse continued after he had left. Have you ever heard of anything that could do something like that in your world?" Nick asked.

"No. This is not of my world. At least not that I know of. Let me get in contact with a few old friends. I'll see what they say. They have been around longer than I have," Harry said, thinking about the Hogwarts ghosts. Surely the USA had some as well.

"Death?" Harry called softly. In but a moment, Death whispered up through the floor and formed next to Harry. Immediately, all weapons were pointed at it.

"Put your weapons away. It's not like you can actually harm it. Everyone, this is Death. My co-worker, if you will." Harry's voice was gentle as he introduced Death. He was getting tired of weapons being pointed every time something happened that they didn't expect. Then again it was _Death _which often made mortals a little jumpy. "Death, please get in contact with all the ghosts, ghouls, pixies, centaurs, poltergeists, and any other beings you can think of. See if they have anything in their collective memory that might match this staff. Let me know what you find out."

Death nodded solemnly before disappearing into the shadows on the floor once again.

When Harry looked up at the people in the room they were all staring at him and the shadows on the floor like either he or the shadows were going to do something horrible. Except for Nick… and possibly Tony. Nick looked bored with Harry's display and Tony just looked extremely interested, as if trying to figure out a magician's trick. He could see Tony mouth the word 'pixie' to Dr. Banner with a grin. He obviously wasn't aware that pixies were actually helpful, especially if you were an orphan or a widow. Either that or he didn't believe in mythological creatures. Harry thought it was a bit of a tossup by this point.

Harry gave Tony a smirk before turning his attention back to Nick. "So what do you need from me? Besides try and figure out how the staff works."

"We need your help to go toe to toe with Loki… once we find him. He's a pretty powerful magic user. We could use your expertise in dealing with him."

Harry nodded at that. "How are you planning on finding him?"

"The staff emits faint gamma radiation. I'm helping them track it," Bruce spoke up softly. Harry heard about the Hulk but he would never have pegged Bruce as its alter ego. However, Bruce acted and moved cautiously like he could hurt someone just by looking at them. Harry would bet a room full of galleons that Bruce had a lot more control over the creature inside of him than people thought he did.

"Bruce here is the leading expert on gamma radiation," Tony said looking proudly at the doctor. Tony seemed to have a science bro-crush on the smaller man. Harry had to smile at that. _They would get along swimmingly,_ Harry thought, considering the two scientists. Tony seemed to be fearless and Banner seemed to calm down whenever Tony cracked another joke.

"So, until such a time as Loki is found, shall I start searching the globe or shall I stick around and annoy you some more? Both seem like fun," Harry said with a mischievous grin aimed at Nick.

"Actually, do you think you can ward the ship with some of those barriers you used last time?" Nick asked, ignoring Harry's prodding.

"Just how big is this thing and what kind of tech am I looking at? You know how my magic can interfere with modern technology. I would hate to ward this flying tub just to have it crash due to magical interference," Harry warned looking around. The only reason he could even apparate here was he sent Death on ahead and it sent him back memories of the space he was now currently in.

"I don't think you will have to worry too much about magical interference. The tech on this was developed with the help of the gentleman you had suggested. As to size, this thing is a little bigger than a modern standard sized US aircraft carrier. Think you can handle it?" Nick asked as if really doubting Harry's abilities. In actuality, he was just trying to get under Harry's skin.

Harry rolled his eyes before standing. "Guess we'll find out. Lead on. I need to get outside."

"Agent Coulson. If you would." Fury gestured, indicating that Harry should be led to the main deck.

"This way please, Mr. Grim," Coulson said politely.

Harry blinked a few times at the phrasing before laughing. "Just Grim. Mr. Grim makes me sound like a horror movie reject."

"Very well, Grim. Please follow me," Coulson corrected himself, giving a small smile.

* * *

_Hello everyone! First chapter of a new story. I hope you all enjoy this as much as you seemed to enjoy Grim Fate. As you can see, Harry is going to once again have to help save the world...Maybe..._

_Hope you read, favorite, and comment. I need all the help I can get. _

_Also, Kudos to my Beta and my friends who have helped me brainstorm and edit. You all rock!_

_Loves!_

_Randompersonality_


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING! Kudos to J.K. Rowling, Stan Lee, Marvel, and everyone else who should be listed here.**

* * *

**-A Few Minutes Later On Deck-**

"So, how have you been, Phil?" Harry asked, smiling at his favorite SHIELD agent.

"The usual. Dealing with divas and dicks. How about you? How's Ginny and the kids?" Phil asked quietly.

Harry frowned for a moment, looking around to be sure they were alone, even though he knew Coulson would never ask if someone was there who could possibly overhear.

"The kids are fine. Same with the grandkids. Even got a couple great-grandkids making their way into the world. But Ginny... Ginny doesn't have much time left," Harry had to clear his throat before continuing. "She's the last of them and she's made it longer than I or Death expected. But...well...It won't be long now."

Coulson gave Harry a look of empathy that said more than any sentiments he could utter. He only hoped Harry's sanity would survive after his ex-wife was gone. Harry was too good of a friend and had been one for too long for Coulson to want anything but what was best for him. Ginny's illness and imminent death was weighing heavier on the wizard with each passing day. Especially since all his friends from childhood had already passed on. Coulson could see the mental and emotional exhaustion in the man's green eyes that no amount of bantering with Nick could hide. At least not from Coulson who knew what to look for.

"Anyways," Harry began clearing his throat and looking away, "How's your cellist?"

Coulson acknowledges the topic change. "She's doing well. She's in Portland right now. Stark actually offered to fly me out there to meet with her."

"Nice guy."

"Yeah, but he only calls me 'Agent.' I think he has jealousy issues concerning his girlfriend, Pepper, and I being friends enough that she calls me by my first name. I think he offered the trip to get me away from her. It's actually kind of funny since she is flying to D.C. to stay out of harm's way and he knows that I'm in a relationship with someone."

Harry grinned at that, only slightly bitter. "Love makes us all stupid sometimes."

Companionable silence ensued for several moments as they both contemplated the women in their lives.

"Well enough of that. Time to see if I still got it," Harry said with a shrug, before taking out his wand from its hidden holster attached to his forearm.

Concentrating and trusting that Phil will stop him if something goes wrong, Harry begins his series of charms, shields, and incantations that with a boost of his particular brand of magic should cover the entire ship, inside and out. He could feel his magic wrap snugly against each level but kept it from anywhere he sensed resistance from technology. Any resistance indicated that interference from his powers would be catastrophic.

When finished, Harry felt the rush of energy he lost whenever he did a large piece of shielding drain from his body, making him pant in exhaustion.

"That should do the job. I'll receive a warning should anyone try something. The wards should deflect most attacks long enough to mount a counter strike. The only way they can get through them is with a huge powerful strike in a single location. They will have to drain the wards to get through," Harry said as he stretched the kinks out of his neck and put away his wand.

"That sounds like a load of crap to me. Agent, why the heck does Nick Fury have a teenager on staff?" Tony's voice came from behind them.

"Been there long?" Harry quietly asked Phil.

"Five minutes, tops," Phil murmured under his breath so only Harry could hear.

Harry nodded before turning to Tony. "What makes you think I'm a teenager? I've already said I'm immortal."

"You said. But no one else seems to know anything about you. Your file has very little in it," Tony quipped, trying to measure up this unknown factor in the puzzle that is the Avengers Initiative.

Harry quirks an eyebrow at Phil in question, "I have a file? When did that start? In any case, what is in my file?"

"I can tell you that. Your codename and an extremely blurry photo that could almost be anyone. It just says 'consultant and ally.' Nothing else. No birthday. No known locations. No hometown. Though you are obviously from Britain judging by your accent. So who are you?" Tony asked, as he studied the man's face from behind a mask of feigned indifference.

"Then you should have all you need. I do not have to prove myself to a mortal," Harry said nonchalantly as he smiled a polite smile.

"Excuse me, but I think you do," the red haired woman said as she exited the doorway from behind Tony. "You know Clint. I've known him for years. He never mentioned you."

"Probably because I'm classified. My entire existence is classified. Need to know and all that. It wouldn't do if my enemies knew that I act as an ally to a single organization due to an old friendship." Harry glanced over at Phil, who made a quick gesture letting Harry know that he could divulge whatever info he thought might be necessary to keep the gathered people from shooting him in the back or whatever it was they might have planned.

"Just how old is this friendship with Director Fury? You must have been in diapers when he started this organization," Bruce asked curiously as he too, exited onto the main deck.

Harry could appreciate the fact that they waited to confront him until everyone was outside, when there was room for them to maneuver and very few bystanders to get in the way.

Harry however laughed at the image in his head brought by Bruce's comment. "Actually, it's the other way around. Nick wasn't even a twinkle in his mother's eye when I became what I am."

"Prove it," a new voice suggested. Harry turned to see the super soldier come from around the corner. Flanking maneuver. Classic.

"Actually, you prove it. You might remember me better like this," Harry said, as he waved his hand in front of his face to place an illusion of his old glasses on his features.

"That's not possible. You're... you have to be... gosh. You were part of the team that went in at the same time as mine when we raided that Hydra compound," Steve exclaimed looking like his whole world shifted from under his feet.

"What are you talking about?" Phil asked, genuinely curious now.

"We fought side by side once. Back in World War 2," Harry explained as Steve tried to digest the new piece of information.

"But that would make you..." Tony began as he started doing the math.

"If it helps, I'll be 87 in July," Harry said with a grin. "Master of Death gig kinda halted the aging process. I looked the same then as I do now. Don't I, Captain?"

"You haven't changed a bit. Except for the glasses," the still stunned Steve responded before stepping forward to shake his hand.

"It will be an honor fighting by your side once again, Ha..."Steve started before Harry cut him off.

"It's the Grim now. Only Grim. The man I once was is dead. Please don't ever use my real name," Harry said with some heat. He wanted his old name to pass from memory as quickly as possible. It was easier to work with the codename. Easier to keep unwanted friendships from forming.

Steve look confused at first but agreed,"Grim it is."

Steve didn't remember Harry Potter being so serious all the time. When there was downtime after the raid, he would joke with the other soldiers and even played a few pranks up until the time him and all his people disappeared without a trace one night.

This Harry seemed jaded. Even his bantering with Fury seemed forced at times. As if trying to keep up appearances.

Steve took a closer look while Harry was distracted by some comment Tony made. He saw the bags under the man's eyes and the stiffening of his jaw that indicated that he was holding back something. Worry lines creased around his eyes, making him look older than the seventeen year old he knew from back when. That's one thing Steve had always been good at when he was a smaller, weaker man before the serum changed his life; the ability to read a person.

Harry hid things better than most but the soldier could tell something was weighing on him heavily. Something besides the mission, SHIELD, or his work as the Grim.

Steve wondered what the wizard could be keeping secret.

"Now, Nick wasn't very clear as to why I was brought in. At least not why I was suddenly brought in to lend a hand after being able to handle things in the mortal world without my help for the last ten years. What happened? Besides Clint being brainwashed?" Harry demanded quietly. He rubbed the bridge of his nose to ward off the exhaustion headache that was trying to build into a full on migraine.

Phil glanced at the gathered heroes before answering, "Our target has escaped us twice already. Just after the explosion when he first escaped, we gathered the members of the Avenger Initiative and they went after him. Thor appeared and well...things didn't go as planned and Loki escaped."

Harry's eyes blazed. "Let me guess. You lost your enemy because you lot were squabbling like bloody children? Wonderful," Harry sighed in disgust.

"Hey! There was a lot going on," Tony protested only to earn him a cold, icy stare.

"I do not care, Mr. Stark. The fact of the matter is, Nick had to call me in and I am not exactly at the beck and call of mortal beings anymore. My responsibilities lie elsewhere beyond your daily squabbles. Every moment I spend here, I am shirking my duties. There is a civil war going on in the Amazon I am supposed to be monitoring, a mass murder just occurred three seconds ago, and…" Green eyes widened, and Harry cursed, "Shit! I'll be right back!" Harry said turning on the spot and disapparating with a nearly silent 'pop.'

Several moments of silence reigned as everyone took in the fact that Grim just disappeared right in front of their eyes.

"Does he do that often?" Bruce asked, gesturing with his thumb at the place the mysterious young-looking man once stood.

"Yeah. His duties are all-consuming. Especially with the current state of worldwide unrest due to all the wars being waged at the same time. To be honest, he's stretched pretty thin these days. That's the first I've been able to speak to him in five years. Been ten since I last saw him," Coulson answered, taking everything in stride. He then took the stance of patiently waiting.

"Are you just going to stay here until he gets back, if he does that is?" Steve asked quietly, curious about Coulson's actions.

"He said he would be right back," Phil said looking at his watch.

They didn't have to wait long before there was another soft 'pop.'

Grim reappeared but was covered in sweat, grime, and blood. He glanced at Coulson, tiredly. "Phil, please tell me this place has a shower I can use?"

Phil glanced at Steve with a 'told-ya' look, before gesturing Grim to go back inside the helicarrier.

"He was gone for five minutes!" Tony exclaimed, trying to figure out how he could look so banged up so quickly.

"I'm a busy man, Mr. Stark. I had a couple mass shootings to stop, a fire to put out before it reached an ammo stockpile in a small city, and three landmines to diffuse. This is normal," Grim explained, gesturing at his appearance and gently tucking a gold chain under his shirt. "I told you. I don't usually deal with minor squabbles among mortals." With that, he disappeared through the doorway into the helicarrier with Coulson right behind him, leaving the gathered heroes standing there, staring at his retreating back.

"Just who the hell is this guy?" Tony muttered, before heading towards the door himself.

_I want to know the same thing_, Steve thought as he tried to see his mischievous comrade from the old days inside the haggard man he just met. _What happened to you, Harry?"_

* * *

_Sorry about that. I posted the rough draft rather than the finished one._

_Well, I hope you have enjoyed the updated Chapter 2. I know I'm enjoying writing this story._

_I put this chapter up a little early in celebration of the end of one of my classes where we had to make a fully functional website about eTextbooks. (I'm working on my Master's degree for Library and Information Science)_

_My wonderful beta, Asille Nellum, is the one you have to thank for keeping me writing. Her wonderful feedback helps me write better and smarter. I would also like to thank my friends who have been putting up with my constant requests for critiques. _

_To my readers, thanks for all the wonderful comments and reviews. I couldn't do this without you all._


End file.
